|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
June 23, 2004 | |
Author: |
John Robertson | |
Phone No.: |
7522 | |
RTS No.: |
04329 | |
CC File No.: |
1051 | |
Meeting Date: |
July 6, 2004 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
General Manager, Community Services Group and General Manager, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation |
SUBJECT: |
Rick Hansen Accessibility Award to Community Services Group and Vancouver Parks & Recreation |
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
General Managers of Community Services and Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation submit the foregoing for Council's INFORMATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council has had a long standing policy of promoting measures to enhance the accessibility of the City to persons with disabilities.
Commencing 1972, City Council implemented provisions for persons with disabilities in the Building By-law, the first municipality in Canada to do so. These provisions have been updated on a regular basis, most recently on Council approved changes to provide enhanced accessibility to multi unit residential buildings in the City.
Concurrently, the Park Board has promoted policies and procedures which will encourage and promote easy access to and use of parks and community centres by persons with disabilities.
PURPOSE
This report updates Council on the awards recently received by Community Services and Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation from the Rick Hansen - Wheels in Motion Foundation.
DISCUSSION
On June 13, 2004, Community Services Group received an award for their work in updating the Building By-law to provide enhanced accessibility for persons with disabilities. Council approved these amendments to the Building By-law on May 16, 2002, after staff had conducted extensive discussions with the construction industry and representatives from the disabled community. These enhancements were designed to foster independent access to and use of housing by a wider range of people than current housing design permits. It was anticipated that these would include seniors who wished to remain independent, people with conditions such as arthritis, and people with temporary or permanent mobility or visual or sensory limitations. It is anticipated that improved accessibility would have both short and long term benefits including:
· Ease of access to residents with limited mobility on a permanent or temporary basis
· Enabling elderly people to remain in their homes as they age
· Provide enhanced visibility for non-residents and
· Creating safer and more livable residences for a wide variety of people.
The Vancouver Park Board was similarly honoured on the weekend for its leadership, progress and excellence in creating accessibility in the community. The new Rick Hansen Accessibility Award recognized 7 projects in British Columbia which demonstrated an ongoing commitment to improving the quality of life of people with spinal cord injury and related disabilities.
In naming the Park Board as one of the winners, organizers cited the Park Board's "culture of accessibility and focus on healthy living for all of the residents of Vancouver and even though the aging infrastructure makes accessibility a challenge, listed the accomplishments:
· wheelchair accessible washrooms in all Park Board facilities;
· adapted aquatics swim program;
· outdoor sports programs including adapted kayaking, sailing, canoeing, golf clinics;
· pool lifts and aquatic wheelchairs;
· adapted equipment in pools, beach wheelchairs and pathways, golf carts, kayaks;
· revised construction standards to ensure accessible curb cuts;
· introduction of free admission for attendants;
· accessible water fountains and picnic tables;
· automated doors in all Park Board facilities;
· new playground equipment incorporating universal design principles for playgrounds."
The Organization also said the Park Board envisions a future where the system is seamless - people of all abilities find their way to healthy living in the City's parks and recreation services. The staff and Board have the passion and the political will to continue on the path to this reality.
The award was received on behalf of Community Services by Ms. Heike Rothe, Mr. Will Johnston and Mr. John Robertson, and on behalf of the Park Board by Carol Sogawa and Commissioner Heather Deal, all of whom played a key role in the initiatives for which these awards were given.
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